d.r.i.v.e.

There it is, all shinny and new, it's color gleaming in the sunlight, so vibrant even crayon manufactures are jealous It's sleek lines make the heart race. The idea of slipping behind the wheel makes the head spin. The sound of the engine as it roars to life leaves butterflies in the stomach and the smell, the satisfying smell....... a brand new baby car.

Ironically, this is where car repairs first go wrong.Right there on the dealer lot, before the first payment is ever made, despite all of the feel good notions of a brand new car purchase, it goes wrong. Very wrong. So wrong that this shiny new car can steal tens of thousands of dollars from you.

There is more to owning a car than simply making car payments. Sure everyone thinks of insurance and gas. But what about maintenance and repairs? Yeah, yeah the salesman says the dealer will perform free maintenance for a period of time and of course there is the bumper to bumper warranty and an extend warranty is available for more money (a waste of money and a subject for another article). But these only cover simple things or things that do not normally wear out.

In other words the free maintenance, the bumper to bumper warranty and the extended warranty do not cover items that are suppose to wear out. Items like Tires, Brakes, Batteries Shocks, Struts Wheel Alignment and many other items that have to be replaced as a normal operation of owning a car.

Depending on the type of shinny new car purchased, some of the items can exceed the car payment several times over. But no one will ever talk about that on the dealer lot. They will never tell you an oil change for that brand new baby car is $200 dollars each or that replacement tires are $2,000, yes Two Thousand dollars for a set of tires. So if you are investing in a new car here are a few tips to help get off on the right foot.

Buy From The Top Five Car Makers

Not in any particular order GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Toyota. Why are they the top five? They build the most number of cars. This can save you money with service and repairs. Their popularity means that there are thousands of places to get the car repaired. This competition provides you with dozens of choices for your car care needs and will save you money. There is nothing wrong with many other brands of cars, just keep in mind that they will most likely cost more money to service or repair than the top five car makers.

Buy A Model From The Middle

All of these car makers have several models. The high end luxury models will cost more to buy and more to service and maintain. Just as bad are the low end models while cheap to buy, many times they are very expensive to repair and service. Stay in the middle of the model line, an average car , with average features will be much more popular and much less to service or repair in the future.

Find Out How Much The Tires Cost

Often cars are purchased with an appearance package or performance packages with a tire that is some ridiculous size with an even more ridiculous price. The tires will have to be replaced at some point. Most likely before you get the car paid off. Finding out that a set of tires cost $2,000 dollars after the purchase of the car is no fun.

Take the time to look and jot down the tire size. Make a few phone calls or visit our online tire selector to see how much those tires will cost when it comes time to replace them. You can check tire price on our web site just follow this link: marlborotire.com/search for tires .

Taking these tips into consideration when buying a car will lower your cost per mile and save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

Auto Tech Center has the equipment and expertise to repair and maintain your automobile. Our emphasis is on transparency and professionalism. We pride ourselves on performing the highest quality automobile servicing as quickly and efficiently as possible - something all our customers appreciate.

Reply

Leave a Reply.

Author

Brian is a third generation automotive service professional with 35 years of experience. His practical approach to auto repair has helped thousands of customers protect their automotive investment while saving them money.

Archives

Categories

Our Store Location

Tires & Auto Repair in Upper Marlboro, MD

Serving the Upper Marlboro, MD area as the premier retailer of Michelin®, BFGoodrich® and Uniroyal® tires, Marlboro Tire and Automotive has a tire selection to meet any budget or specification. Improving the auto repair and tire servicing experience is the mission of all staff at Marlboro Tire. Whether you are receiving an oil change or total tire replacement all services are treated with the utmost importance and care. ​